Trainer Manuel Robles believes Oscar Valdez can become an all-time great

Oscar Valdez/Photo courtesy of Top Rank Inc.

 

Oscar Valdez on Nov. 5 will make the first defense of his featherweight world title when he takes on Hiroshige Osawa (30-3-4, 19 KOs) of Japan underneath the welterweight title fight between champion Jessie Vargas and Manny Pacquiao at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas (on Top Rank pay-per-view, $59.95).

Valdez’s trainer, Manuel Robles, on Thursday spoke as if boxing fans are on the cusp of witnessing another fighter who soon will be considered among boxing’s elite.

“I’ve trained champions like Reggie Johnson, Martin Castillo, Israel Vasquez, Mike Anchondo and now Oscar,” Robles said during a media workout at Jackrabbit Boxing Club in Long Beach. “All of those champions have similarities in how they are focused and how hard they want it. Oscar has all of that. I think he will become one of the greatest champions of all time.”

Valdez’s desire to be all he can be is what will get him there, Robles said.

“Oscar is a world champion for these reasons – dedication, determination, will to win, wants to be the best ever,” Robles said.

Valdez (20-0, 18 KOs) of Mexico, won his title with a second-round stoppage of Matias Rueda of Argentina in July at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

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Prospect Andy Vences will prepare for Nov. 4 fight by sparring with featherweight champ Oscar Valdez

Andy Vences

Andy Vences/Photo courtesy of Top Rank Inc.

 

Andy Vences of San Jose is finally going to get a fight that could help propel him toward his goal of winning a world title.

Vences (16-0, 10 KOs) on Nov. 4 will take on another undefeated fighter – Casey Ramos (23-0, 6 KOs) – in the super featherweight main event from Treasure Island in Las Vegas (on UniMas).

“It’s the biggest fight of my career and is a great opportunity for me to show my talent,” Vences said. “I know a win on Nov. 4 will open a lot of doors for me.”

Vences is in the Los Angeles area this week to spar with featherweight world champion Oscar Valdez of Mexico. Valdez is preparing to defend his title for the first time when he takes on Hiroshige Osawa of Japan on the undercard of the Nov. 5 welterweight title fight between Jessie Vargas and Manny Pacquiao at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas (on Top Rank pay-per-view).

Sparring with Valdez is an inspiration to Vences.

“I know this fight against Ramos is very important and I need to have a great camp and great sparring, and Valdez and his team have allowed us to come down and work with the champ,” said Vences, 25. “He (Valdez) has what I want – a championship. My fight is a big step toward that goal.”

Ramos, 27, is from Austin, Texas.

General admission tickets for this Top Rank Inc. card are $50 and are on sale at the Treasure Island box office. They can also be purchased by calling  800-392-1999 or 702-894-7722.

 

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Art Hovhannisyan wants to put on show Friday in main event at Belasco Theater

Art Hovhannisyan addresses reporters at this week’s media workout in Los Angeles/Photo courtesy of Golden Boy Promotions

 

If Art Hovhannisyan of Glendale stays true to his credo, fans could be in for a good time when he takes on Diego Magdaleno in the junior welterweight main event Friday at Belasco Theater in Los Angeles (on Estrella TV).

“I started my boxing career when I was 12, and was inspired by my favorite boxer, Mike Tyson,” Hovhannisyan said. “I’m the type of fighter that loves to put on a show in the ring.”

Hovhannisyan could have his hands full with Magdaleno, a southpaw out of Las Vegas who is 29-2 with 12 knockouts.

“… I have watched him fight a few times,” Hovhannisyan said. “I know what I have to do in the ring to earn the victory.”

Magdaleno is the older brother of Jessie Magdaleno, who Nov. 5 will challenge Nonito Donaire for his super bantamweight title on the undercard of the Jessie Vargas-Manny Pacquiao welterweight title fight at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas (on Top Rank pay-per-view, $59.95.

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Jessie Magdaleno looks for first title, but will have hands full with Nonito Donaire

Jessie Magdaleno

Jessie Magdaleno/Photo courtesy of Top Rank Inc.

 

World-class boxer Jessie Magdaleno was born in Pomona, but he moved away at age 4 and has since called Las Vegas home.

“Vegas, it’s been good to me,” Magdaleno said. “It’s been a great city and I just have so many kid memories from there.”

It is therefore appropriate that Magadaleno will fight for his first world title in his backyard. He’ll challenge Nonito Donaire for his super bantamweight belt on the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao-Jessie Vargas welterweight title fight Nov. 5 at Thomas & Mack Center.

“It’s a huge opportunity for me,” Magdaleno said this week at an L.A. news conference.

That’s for sure. Donaire, of San Leandro via the Philippines, has won world titles in four weight classes. He’s more than likely going to one day be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

Nevertheless, the undefeated Magdaleno (23-0, 17 KOs) speaks in undaunted tones about this shot.

“It’s a big challenge for me, but like I tell everybody, I have this vision and I feel like my age and my speed and my power is really going to overcome him,” Magdaleno said. “I take nothing from him. He’s a great fighter. He’s accomplished what he’s accomplished in the sport.

“But I believe it’s time there’s a new champion and I believe it’s me.”

Magdaleno, a southpaw, is just 24. Donaire (37-3, 24 KOs) is 33 and has been in plenty of ring wars. Frank Espinoza, Magdaleno’s West Covina-based manager, intimated his fighter has to go hard all the way through to take full advantage of his youth.

“We’ve gotta look to go all 12 rounds and wear him down because we are the younger fighter,” Espinoza said. “I think it’s his time and I believe Jessie Magdaleno is going to become a world champion Nov. 5.”

For Donaire, he’s stoked about fighting on the same card as Pacquiao for the first time. He also likes where his head is at, and he figures that’s bad news for Magdaleno.

“Most of all, I’m very excited for the mind-set that I have,” he said. “The person that’s within this ring, that’s going to be in that ring is a man who’s a king. And whoever steps in that ring, it’s my ring.”

This card will be available on Top Rank pay-per-view for $59.95.

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High-energy trainer Dewey Cooper believes Jessie Vargas belongs in Nov. 5 fight against Manny Pacquiao

Jessie Vargas/Photo courtesy of Top Rank Inc.

 

All one has to do is spend a couple of minutes with Dewey Cooper, and it’s obvious this is a trainer with emotional energy to burn. He speaks in electric, as well as confident, tones.

That was certainly the case when Cooper recently spoke about his fighter, welterweight champion Jessie Vargas, who Nov. 5 will defend his title against Manny Pacquiao
at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas (on Top Rank pay-per-view, $59.95).

This is only going to be Cooper’s second fight with Las Vegas’ Vargas. In their first, Vargas (27-1, 10 KOs) won the vacant title with a ninth-round TKO of then-undefeated Sadam Ali in March in Washington D.C.

Winning that fight is likely a far cry from what Vargas will have to do to beat Pacquiao (58-6-2, 38 KOs). That’s not to mention this will by far be the biggest stage on which Vargas has performed. Some guys fall apart in that situation, others handle it well. Cooper believes the latter will be the case for Vargas.

“Psychologically, I pound the message to him every day that this event is not too big for us,” Cooper said. “We belong here. Everyone keeps saying Pacquiao chose Jessie. No, Pacquiao didn’t choose Jessie. Jessie won a world title on March 5 by knocking out an undefeated fighter, sensational fighter, and that is what put Jessie in the position to have a Manny Pacquiao fight.

“In other words, we earned every step of this. And we’re looking forward to a great opportunity.”

Cooper then suggested a changing of the guard is in order.

“We respect Manny, we love Manny,” Cooper said. “But at the end of the day, it’s survival of the fittest, and it’s our time. Life is about transitions and this is definitely a transitional time in boxing and we want to be ahead of that pack.”

Pacquiao is 37 and likely won’t fight much longer.

Cooper is a former cruiserweight who went 19-3-3 with 11 knockouts fighting from 2001-12.

 

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Tickets go on sale for fight between Manny Pacquiao and Jessie Vargas

Jessie Vargas/Photo courtesy of Top Rank Inc.

 

Tickets for the Nov. 5 welterweight title fight between champion Jessie Vargas of Las Vegas and Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines go on sale Thursday at noon.

The bout will take place at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas and will be distributed on Top Rank pay-per-view.

Ticket prices are $50, $100, $300, $500, $700 and $1,000. They can be purchased at the Thomas & Mack Center box office, online at www.unlvtickets.com or by calling 702-739-3267 or 866-388-3267.

Pacquiao, 37, is 58-6-2 with 38 knockouts. Vargas, 27, is 27-1 with 10 knockouts.

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Manny Pacquiao chose Jessie Vargas because Vargas is a world champion

Manny Pacquiao

Manny Pacquiao/Photo courtesy of Top Rank Inc.

 

Promoter Bob Arum on Tuesday night told this newspaper in a telephone call from the Philippines that Manny Pacquiao has decided to fight welterweight champion Jessie Vargas on Nov. 5 from Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

A couple of other top candidates to land the role as Pacquiao’s opponent were junior welterweight champion Terence Crawford and welterweight champion Danny Garcia.

“I wasn’t hoping anything,” Arum said. “I presented all the options to Manny and after he discussed it he decided last night at dinner that that was the fight to make.”

Vargas is also promoted under Arum’s Top Rank Inc. banner.

This will be Pacquiao’s first fight since being elected to the Senate in May in his native Philippines. As it happened, Arum was on his way to attend a Senate session “to see him in action.”

Pacquiao (58-6-2, 38 KOs) said after he defeated Timothy Bradley this past April that he was retired. But once he was elected rumors of at least one more fight started. At first, the date of his return was going to be Oct. 15. But Pacquiao, 37, was told by the president of the Senate he could not fight that soon because of his duties.

“We have tremendous logistical problems because of his being a senator, but we’re working through them and everything will be fine,” Arum said. “It’s going to be very, very interesting.”

Arum said this fight will not be on HBO pay-per-view.

“We’re going to be distributing it in other ways, but it will definitely not be distributed by HBO pay-per-view,” he said.

Pacquiao was asked by Dyan Castillejo of ABS-CBN TV newtork in the Philippines why he selected Vargas.

“I chose Vargas because he is a champion,” said Pacquiao, who intimated he can’t wait to get back in the ring.

“I miss my boxing routine of training, the things i do for my sport everyday,” he said. “But I assure my people my fight and training will not affect my work as a senator.”

Vargas, 27, of Las Vegas, is 27-1 with 10 knockouts.

BoxingScene.com first reported this news.

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It’s good to know Adrien Broner won’t be Manny Pacquiao’s opponent Nov. 5

Manny Pacquiao

Manny Pacquiao/Photo courtesy of Top Rank Inc.

 

It’s good to know that when Manny Pacquiao fights in the fall, it won’t be against Adrien Broner, who apparently priced himself out of the sweepstakes with unrealistic demands.

Pacquiao’s promoter, Bob Arum, on Wednesday confirmed with several reporters that he had secured a date and site for Pacquiao’s bout against a still-to-be-determined opponent. It will be Nov. 5 at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

Not only did Broner apparently ask for too much to fight Pacquiao, Broner on Tuesday was sent to jail because he missed the beginning of his trial for felony assault and aggravated robbery, crimes he allegedly committed Jan. 21 in his native Cincinnati.

Broner was found in contempt of court and given 30 days in jail. He was taken away upon his arrival, about three hours late, according to a story on ESPN.com.

As for Pacquiao’s next opponent, it figures to be one of three guys – Viktor Postol, Terence Crawford or Jessie Vargas.

Postol and Crawford fight this Saturday at MGM Grand in Las Vegas in a junior welterweight title-unification bout. Vargas is a welterweight world champion.

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Heavyweight contender Jarrell Miller talking a lot of smack about champions

Jarrell Miller

Jarrell Miller/Photo courtesy of Salita Promotions

 

It appears heavyweight contender Jarrell Miller is trying to take the Floyd Mayweather Jr. path to stardom. Miller talks a lot of trash, and he’s been bashing the heavyweight champions of late.

For example, he said he wants to break Deontay Wilder and “his toothpick legs” in half. Miller refers to Anthony Joshua as “definitely one of the weakest of the heavyweight champs.”

But he does seem to at least have some respect for Tyson Fury, who holds two of the belts.

“I like Tyson Fury,” said Miller, a top 10 contender who Aug. 19 will take on Fred Kassi at Rhinos Stadium in Rochester, N.Y. (on Showtime). “I still want to break his fingers in half, but he is good for the sport of boxing and I feel like me and him for a main event will sell any arena out. He talks a lot of smack and he does back it up, but he is still a jokester and I am real. I will smash him if he tries to step on me in the press conference. I will knock him out, same way I will for everyone else.”

Miller then said something about a potential fight with Fury that was kind of out there.

“A fight between us two will be like Comedy Central on steroids, it would be bananas,” Miller said. “It would sell out kind of like a Mayweather-(Manny) Pacquiao. … I feel like we can capture the heavyweight division and put it back on the map, just because of the way he talks.

“As an American heavyweight, I feel like we have to take over American soil first. I’ll fight anywhere and any time. But on the business side, I have to take over my country first.”

Miller, of Brooklyn, is 17-0-1 with 15 knockouts. Kassi, of New Orleans, is 18-5-1 with 10 knockouts.

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Don’t look now, but Manny Pacquiao is going to fight again in the fall

April 9,2016. Las Vegas NV.  (in Wht/Yell tnks)/Manny Pacquiao  knocks down Timothy Bradley in the 9th round Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden hotel  Manny Pacquiao took the win by unanimous decision for the international  welterweight championship.Photo by Gene Blevins/LA Daily News

Manny Pacquiao connects to the face of Timothy Bradley in their April 9 fight at MGM Grand in Las Vegas/Photo by Gene Blevins, L.A. Daily News

 

Moments after he handily defeated Timothy Bradley in their rubber match April 9 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Manny Pacquiao was asked if he indeed was going to retire like he said he would.

“Yes,” he said. “I’m going to go home and spend time with my family and I want to serve the people.”

Pacquiao, 37, was running for a seat in the Senate in his native Philippines at the time. He won in May, and is now a member. With that out of the way, Pacquiao has decided to make his retirement a short one by fighting at least one more time.

That figures to be either Oct. 29 or Nov. 5 in Las Vegas, his promoter, Bob Arum, said Tuesday. Arum did not seem the least bit surprised that Pacquiao wants to lace up the gloves again.

“I always knew he wanted to fight if the Senate allowed it, and the president of the Senate told him he can fight if it’s after the 15th (of October) because that week they were voting on the budget,” Arum said via telephone Tuesday evening.

Arum was asked about the opponent, and he gave a long list.

Terence Crawford is possible,” said Arum, who is promoting the July 23 junior welterweight title-unification bout between Crawford and Viktor Postol at MGM Grand (on HBO pay-per-view). “Postol, if he wins, is possible. Jessie Vargas is possible, (Danny) Garcia is possible. They’re all possible.”

Even if Crawford or Postol were to insist Pacquiao fight at junior welterweight, that shouldn’t be a problem because Pacquiao is a small welterweight. Vargas and Garcia are both welterweight champions, so either of them work as well.

A venue is not yet secured, and Arum is working on all that now.

Another avenue that could be taken would be a rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr. Mayweather, 39, announced his retirement after defeating Andre Berto this past September. But Mayweather could make it 50-0 with another victory over Pacquiao (58-6-2, 38 KOs).

Mayweather won a unanimous decision over Pacquiao in a welterweight title-unification bout in May 2015. Afterward, Pacquiao revealed he fought with a torn rotator cuff. Pacquiao had surgery, came back 11 months later and fought very well in winning a rather wide decision over Bradley.

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